Freedom
by Lady Needle
Summary: "There is no freedom." Blaine said his voice sad and serious "No freedom, got it? Unless you feel and live like it." AU story about a serf rebel Blaine and a nobleman's son Kurt who meet during a difficult time, but find strength to fight for their freedom to love and live without any restrictions. The story is set in 19th century.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Hello, everyone. I'm glad you clicked on this story and decided to give it a go. It is a very AU story set in the 19th century about our beloved Klaine finding love and freedom together. I'd like to say that this story is based on a myth about serf fighter and is quite historical. So if you have any questions or confusions about where it takes place, what happened at that time or certain details, do not hesitate to leave comments and ask.

I wanted to thank my amazing beta - MusicArt2010 who believes in this idea and me :)

I hope you'll enjoy it. Here's only the prologue and the first chapter will be up soon. Review, favorite, follow - outcome is very much appreciated.

K.

* * *

**_Prologue_**

_**1847 December **_

Burt ran into his estate with flushed cheeks and his mouth wide open. He couldn't believe what just happened. Tears were streaming down his face, his hands shaking, his body dripping wet with water. He felt like a ghost, like some part of his body was ripped and couldn't be placed back. Moreover the man felt numb deep inside his bones. But most of all he felt scared and Burt was not a man who gets scared easily. His horse was not calm either. Everybody knew that a scared horse usually meant that something bad happened. Those beautiful creatures could just feel fear and sadness in their bones.

When Burt finally reached to the main room, he took off his coat and sat down on a chair. Burt brushed his sweaty face with one hand and let out a deep sight. He wanted to scream, but he couldn't. He had two small children in the other bedroom and he didn't want to wake them up. The last thing a father wants to do is to make another man's child an orphan. And he just did. God will never forgive him, he knew. Burt stumbled upon a cabinet and took a bottle of whiskey. He horribly needed a drink.

"You're back, daddy." A small sleepy voice came from behind and Burt turned around quickly. His son, Kurt, was standing there holding a teddy-bear he brought him from town the other day. Kurt was in his sleeping gown with blue laces, hair messy and his face white just like his mother's. A boy smiled, but frowned a little when he saw his dad clearly in the light.

"Yes, I am." Burt cleared his throat. "Is Sebastian in another room?" He asked filling himself a shot of whiskey.

"He's sleeping. He was really moody tonight, I don't like him." Kurt answered moving closer to his dad and looking at him with his wide childish eyes and pressing the toy closer to his chest. "Where's Uncle Adam?" A boy asked curiously.

Burt's back shivered. How is he supposed to explain it to his 4 year old son? How is he supposed to explain that his uncle Adam is never coming back? The man closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew that Kurt was stubborn, he got it from his mother, and will wait until he gets a better answer than just a shrug. Burt took a sip from his glass and put it back down on the cabinet. Then he went to his son trying not to scare him as well.

"Listen, Kurt…" Burt started trying to choose the right words. "You know, how I told you once that there are two kinds of people in this world, noblemen and serfs? Remember how I told you what each of them are expected to do and how to live?"

"Yes, daddy…" A boy nodded hugging his toy tight to his chest. He looked like an angel. So small, so pure.

"Good. Also, I told you that no matter if you are a serf or a nobleman, you can be either a good or a bad person, right?" When Kurt nodded again, Burt continued. "Well, all you need to know right now is that your uncle Adam was not a good person, so…"

"But, dad, he was so nice to me!" Kurt tried to argue, but his dad just put a finger on the boy's lips showing him to be quiet.

"Even bad people can be nice sometimes, Kurt. So as I was saying…" Burt tried to keep looking at Kurt, but it was too hard so he let his eyes wonder. He's never felt so ashamed before. "I was defending someone who is a good person from your uncle. It needs to be done sometimes. You'll understand when you grow up."

They stayed silent. Kurt was clearly thinking. Burt didn't know what was happening in his small beautiful head, but his face showed that he understands. As much as it is possible to understand being a 4 year old kid and practically with no explanation. After a few minutes Burt pulled his son into a warm embrace. He was still wet, but he didn't really care. For a moment he just wanted to hold his boy.

"Dad…" Kurt whispered slightly pulling back and looking at his dad's face. "Did you save the good person?"

"I did." Burt answered and smiled for the first time holding his son closer.

He was running fast and not looking back. A freezing cold started to paralyze his whole body and the light fur coat wasn't warming him enough anymore. A small boy, about 5 years old with black curly hair and huge terrified eyes, was running as fast as he could, barely catching his breath and dragging another boy, even younger, with him.

"Run, Cooper, run…" He whispered trying to not attract any attention to them and encourage his brother.

But it was too late. Hunting dogs were so close that Blaine could almost feel them breathing on his back. They were terrifyingly huge, black and angry. Their barking seemed somehow too loud for his human ears to capture. He cried without even realizing it, but didn't stop running.

"Run, brother, run!" He screamed before falling for a second and feeling a freezing snow in his mouth and all over his face. Blaine started spitting. It was painful and cold and for a minute, his mind was jumbled.

Loud laughter could be heard somewhere in the distance. It was probably noblemen hunting and having fun. They didn't care if they hurt some of their serfs. Blaine understood that much even if he was still just a child but couldn't understand what he and his brother did wrong to be chased after in the first place. There were enough animals to hunt… Blaine could feel how his brother was running slower and slower, steadily losing every last bit of strength he had. Cooper was always the weaker one. A few feet in front of them was a huge river, cold and promising a fast death to anyone who was foolish enough to fall into it.

It happened all too fast. Blaine kept screaming for his brother to run faster, while he ran as fast as he could trying to not think about noblemen and dogs running after him. One minute he was running, and the next minute Cooper was falling into the cold river and screaming for help. Blaine fell on his knees and caught his brother's hand. He kept screaming and cried for help. None came, but he kept holding. He couldn't lose his brother, the only one he had left in this world.

"Oh come on, Adam!" He heard his master shouting through a soft laugh. He couldn't understand how but the laugh was soft and pitying even. Blaine thought he could recognize it anywhere now. "They're just children, leave them alone."

"Children!" An angry shout scratched Blaine's ears, but he didn't recognize the voice. The sound of horses came closer and closer as he clutched his brother's hand. He didn't have any power to drag him back, just hold him and expect a miracle to happen. "My Sebastian and your Kurt. They are children. And these are snakes that are going to grow up and bite at your throat. So when you find snakes on your land, you kill them."

It was the last thing Blaine heard. The last thing that he expected to hear in his life. He sobbed, Cooper screamed. He heard another scream, an older voice, dogs barking, horses… And suddenly he felt himself falling down to the river still tightly grasping his brother's hand. Then everything went black.

_**1861 April**_

"Have you dreamt about your brother again?"

Blaine threw a cold splash of water on his face and stayed silent. He couldn't shake the anger and fear that was spread all over his body, but weakness was something he couldn't show. It was one of those nights when he just couldn't sleep. The same dream was coming back every other night, never leaving him alone and he just wanted somebody to hold him, but nobody ever did. He wanted to feel warm instead of always feeling so cold. Just like the river, he remembered.

"Are you ok, Blaine?"

He ignored his friend's question again. He was ok. Serfs are always ok. They never complain, they never cry. They just work, sleep and drink... Filthy rats, not even human, they say. Horrible words really, but that's exactly how their noblemen saw them. That's how society was treating them. Poor boy, to be born a serf, they used to say. Blaine dried his face with his dirty shirt and turned back to face his friend, Sam. The guy looked genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine." He muttered and put the shirt back on. Glancing out of the window, he knew it was already a new day dawning, a new morning. "We need to get to work." Blaine added then not looking his friend in the eyes. "If a master finds out that we were sleeping too long, we're going to be in so much trouble."

"Our master hasn't shown his ass here in for forever, Blaine. Don't worry." Sam answered, but pushed him a scythe in hands and took his own.

_**In 1861 the Emancipation Reform was signed by the Czar of the Empire. The **__**manifesto proclaimed the emancipation of the serfs on private estates and of the domestic (household) serfs. By this edict more than 23 million people received their liberty.**__**Serfs were granted the full rights of free citizens, gaining the rights to marry without having to gain consent, to own property and to own a business. **_

_**The catch was they gained only their freedom and no land...**_


	2. Chapter 1 - Hero

_Chapter 1 – Hero_

The first time Blaine saw _Him_ was when he was walking back home from a field where he and Sam had been working the whole day. It was a warm and beautiful spring evening and they both felt really tired. Blaine's hands hurt so much and he could barely feel his legs. All he could think about at that moment was going to his poor shack and just sleeping. But here _He_ was. _A man_. Right in front of his eyes. Tall, lean and strong dressed in a perfectly clean white riding suit. His horse was standing calmly a little further and nibbling grass. It was a peaceful view, almost like a picture. He reminded Blaine that the spring actually came already. A guy seemed so light, so happy. The picture made Blaine smile.

"Look, nobleman's son…" Sam whispered to Blaine silently and hiding behind a tree a little. "He probably just got lost in the woods or something."

Blaine looked at the man one more time. He looked so young and so pure. Blaine suddenly felt so dirty and ugly compared to the man which he already adored so much even if he saw him for the first time in his life. Noblemen weren't keen on going to where their serfs lived. They mostly stayed in their estates and gardens and lived their delicate, perfect life there trying to avoid all the dirtyness and poverty that their people were experiencing every day of their life. So it was really unusual to see a highborn here.

"He doesn't look lost." Blaine said to his friend, because the guy really didn't seem scared or confused. He kept walking next to a river and smiling and touching grass softly and humming some melody Blaine didn't recognize. He looked like he was enjoying himself quite a lot.

"Come on, Blaine. Let's go home." Sam whined behind him, but Blaine didn't listen. He was young and adventurous and playing a trick on a nobleman was always in his dreams. Now he had a perfect chance to show to one of them that he was also human and can make him dirty. This idea came to his head and he chuckled silently moving closer. Blaine didn't know what dragged him towards the young nobleman so much, but it just did and he couldn't stop himself from staring.

Meanwhile, the white dressed man went on the footbridge and took a stick. He didn't look disgusted by the wild nature nor did he care that his shoes were getting wet. He bent down and started churning the water. The smile appeared on his face and the nobleman didn't seem to notice two guys moving closer to him. Blaine almost stopped when he saw how beautiful the man's face was. It took his breath away. So white and clear and happy.

"I'm telling you let's go…" Sam was getting frustrated and dragged him back.

"Shhh…" Blaine just pushed his friend away and moved forward waiting for a right time.

The man leaned dangerously close to the river. That was certainly a right time and Blaine didn't wait anymore. He started fake coughing as loud as he could and laughing together with Sam. The nobleman lost his balance and fell straight into the river. Blaine and Sam couldn't stop laughing. The guy screamed in a loud high-pitched voice and started smashing his hands loudly in the water obviously trying to get closer to the bank.

Suddenly a realization hit Blaine. This was a nobleman. What if he doesn't know how to swim? What if the guy drowns because of him? The young serf didn't know what got into him, but it seemed that the beautiful man needed help. Blaine jumped of the ground and jumped straight into the river. He didn't know what to do considering that he didn't know how to swim himself and was horribly afraid of the water. But how it sometimes happens when you're young, his head reminded him about it a little too late. He fell down and his whole body froze with fear.

Sam jumped after him. He was cursing Blaine in his mind so bad that he could never dare to curse like that out load. Blaine was always like that. Fast, spontaneous and even stupid sometimes. Like a child playing tricks on everybody. Sam couldn't believe that he let him do that. He honestly thought that they would get away with just a small joke, but now they were both clearly going to have so much trouble. How could Blaine do that? Messing around with noblemen was the worst thing they could do, but messing around with a heritor was probably even worse.

Sam was about to drag both guys to the bank when he saw that the nobleman's son, named Kurt, which Sam's mother told him a while ago, was swimming perfectly on his own, clearly pissed off and spitting water, but fine and healthy. He even turned around and came to Sam helping him to get Blaine out of the water. Sam could only look at him with wide eyes filled with amazement and shock, at the same time waiting for a punishment or screaming to come. But nothing like that came.

"What's his name?" Kurt asked when they were all finally on the land, dripping water and cheeks flushed.

"Blaine, sir…" Sam whispered pumping his friend's chest.

"Blaine! " A young man shouted sarcastically. "Does Blaine even know how to swim?"

"No, never goes in the water, sir. Hasn't since he was a little child, you know…" Sam answered trying not to look the guy in the eyes.

"So why did he jump?" Kurt asked trying to catch his breath a little and brushing his wet hair, a little less sarcasm in his voice. He sat down next to Blaine who was lying on the ground and leaned in to hear if the serf was still breathing.

"To rescue you, I guess…" Sam answered biting his lip and pumping Blaine's chest harder.

"Oh great." Kurt laughed musically. "A hero…"

They kept pushing Blaine and trying to bring back his conscious. Sam stole a few glances at Kurt. The guy was totally concerned. He didn't seem distant or narcissistic like other noblemen he saw before. No nobleman should be so concerned about his serf, that's what Sam's mom taught him. But Kurt looked genuinely worried and kept leaning closer to Blaine's face to check his breathing.

"Is he breathing?" Sam dared to ask.

Kurt didn't have time to answer. Blaine was already breathing steadily and laughing silently. Kurt's eyes widened. He was about to lean back and to say something when Blaine just held his head up and kissed him on the cheek. Sam gasped. He couldn't believe his eyes or his brain which was not tricking him. Blaine just kissed their nobleman. Not only Kurt was a man, which was weird itself that Blaine kissed him, but he was also their lord and they weren't suppose to touch him in any inappropriate way.

"You immature…" Kurt shouted clearly shocked and slapped Blaine slightly on the face. What surprised Sam was that he didn't look too angry and the slap seemed playful.

Without another word Kurt stood up and went back to his horse. Blaine kept chuckling and sat up looking at the nobleman curiously, but when he got a disapproving look from Sam, he stopped laughing. Kurt prepared his horse and quickly jumped on it. Before turning his horse back he took another look of two serfs sitting on the ground. He didn't look angry; maybe a little annoyed, but not very much and that amazed two friends. Kurt just smiled and shook his head playfully letting his eyes linger on Blaine a bit longer. Then he turned his horse and disappeared in the woods.

* * *

"Your highness, Lieutenant Smythe is here."

"Ok, leave me alone with him."

A big and luxurious room with a few velvet chairs in it and a table. A big and frightening man sat in one of them smoking a cigar. He looked peaceful, but dangerous. His serious face didn't seem to promise any good news. A young Lieutenant stood in front of him with a calm and serious face. Smyth didn't seem frightened of the lord at all.

"Lieutenant Smythe…" A man said sighting somehow dramatically. "Sebastian Smythe, right?"

"Precisely, your highness." Sebastian answered calmly. His face didn't move at all. Interesting, but he seemed kind of bored of this whole encounter even if he was meeting his lord for the first time. It didn't impress this young soldier at all.

"So you've made yourself a lot of enemies here, Lieutenant. Such a hero!" The lord said laughing loudly. He strictly judged Sebastian with a grin and breathed his cigar deeply.

"My enemies are my business, sir. I can deal with them." The lieutenant answered, but it was obvious that he was not happy about the topic. Sebastian was one of those people who didn't like to be asked questions, because usually the answers were too long or emotional for other people to understand. Being an orphan made you seem weak in the army at first glace and Sebastian was anything but weak. Or at least he seemed to be.

"What a smart ass." The lord nodded his head chuckling a little. For Sebastian's annoyance, he seemed to be enjoying this conversation dearly. "That's why I like you."

Tension was almost audible in the room. It was dark times when people couldn't trust each other and sometimes you couldn't decipher between your friends or your enemies. That's why people fought so much, that's why functioning strong armies were needed in every country. People couldn't deal with problems and rebellions peacefully. People fought for everything. Especially for their place in this world.

"What, are you all like that over there in the Northwest?" The lord asked studying Sebastian from head to toes. "You're from there, aren't you?"

"I'm a local here, your highness. I haven't been there since my father died when I was only 5 years old." The soldier answered clenching his jaw. He really didn't like where this conversation was taking them.

"Well, you will have a chance to visit your motherland, boy." The man said scanning some papers on the table one more time. He put down a cigar and smiled at the youngster in front of him. "Some might want to have you shot. But I have different plans."

"But… I don't quite understand what you're saying here, you highness." Sebastian crossed his hands on his chest and sighed, his face confused.

"Listen very carefully, Lieutenant Smythe. As you probably know other countries around us decided to give the land to serfs and release them from their duties. I, for one, don't want to do that." The lord started explaining. "Of course, the manifesto is out there already, but it's only formal… So you, my boy, take as many soldiers as you need and go there to suppress the rebellion."

Sebastian looked at the man with huge eyes. He didn't know what to think. He's never got such freedom and trust from his lord before, so it had to be a really serious case if he was letting him do that and sending him to his homeland. He didn't want to go back, but also felt quite impressed.

"But as far as I know, there is no rebellion there…" He said then furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"There will be… There will be… And you will be the one who takes care of it. Only everything has to look genuine." The lord laughed dryly. "You see, a serf without a land is nobody. We can give them freedom, no problem. But I'm not going to give them a land. And what will the serfs do without a land? What will they eat? And here we have a rebellion for you."

Sebastian shrugged. Now he understood. Now he knew what he had to do. Only everything has to look genuine, just like his lord said. And it was clear now why his highness chose him out of all the soldiers. Because he was born there and knew the land. Because people are probably going to trust him more because of that. Sebastian nodded one more time and left the room ready to come back to where he was born. He knew some people he wanted to visit. Along with his main duty, Sebastian had his own questions to answer and battles to fight.

* * *

"Kurt!"

Burt was running around the estate looking for his son for good half an hour. Kurt used to always hide in the darkest corners when he was a child chuckling wildly and making his daddy look for him for hours. He wasn't a child anymore, Burt knew that, but he still knew his son and his weird habits to sometimes just disappear. However, even knowing it didn't make Burt any less annoyed than he already was.

"Kurt!"

"Kurt, for Christ sake! Kurt!"

His Kurt though wasn't hiding anywhere this time. He was lucky enough to come back from the woods the moment his farther was about to really lose his patience. The boy heard his dad's voice right away when he and his horse reached the estate. Kurt jumped right off the horse handling the lace over to the serf who kindly informed him that the lord was looking for him the whole evening. Kurt thanked him and hurried to meet and calm his dad inside.

"Well that's about time!" Burt buried his eyes to Kurt right the minute he saw him and scanned his wet and dirty posture. "Where the hell have you been, Kurt? What's with your clothes?" He asked.

"It's nothing, dad, I just slipped, okay? I slipped and fell into a river. It's fine." Kurt brushed his wet hair and clothes a little feeling sticky and dirty, but waited politely while his farther began to lecture him for running away or give him permission to get cleaned.

"Look, Kurt, I'm way too tired to baby you and talk about how dangerous it is for you to go to the woods or by the river… You know it already and I can't wrap my head around why you're not listening to me. But we have more important things to discuss now." Burt sighed and sat down in his luxurious chair while the household serf poured him a glass of whiskey. He gave her a quick smile and took the glass. "I just received a letter from our long lost friend. Do you remember Sebastian?"

"Not really." Kurt shrugged, really uncomfortable in his wet clothes. "Is that the boy I didn't like playing with when I was little? The one who got sent to the army?"

"That same one." Burt smiled and took a sip. "He's coming here to visit. He writes that he wants to come see how his motherland changed, to relax a bit after a difficult time there in the capital suppressing some ugly rebellions, to hunt and enjoy…" Kurt didn't seem very impressed with Burt's words, so the man just decided to continue. "He's coming tomorrow night. We'll have a huge ball to celebrate his arrival and the spring. I expect you to be present by my side." He laughed then lightly said, "Decently dressed of course."

"Of course…" Kurt sighed.


	3. Chapter 2 - The Ball

**A/N: **Hello, everybody :) I wanted to thank each and every one of you who took time to read this story and especially those perfect people who wrote reviews for me! I can't express how happy it makes me to see that you like my style of writing. I wasn't sure before posting it if anyone would be interested in a historical story, and such take on Klaine relationship but now I see that you are and that's great! I listened to one of your advice and I changed the summary, so hopefully more people would read this :)

You're all amazing and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. It will focus more on the life of the noblemen and the intrigues happening in the estate :) Can't wait for your reviews!

K.

* * *

_Chapter 2 – The Ball _

"What a good book…"

"Get out!"

As if there wasn't enough worries and preparation for Burt that day waiting for a young soldier to arrive and making sure that everything is ready for the ball. It was almost noon when one of the estate's household serfs informed him that there was an unexpected guest waiting for him. Burt didn't expect to see this man but the minute he stepped into the room he could feel his jaw clenching. Standing in his common room was a black-dressed man casually looking at one of his bookshelves. Recognizing the man made the blood in his veins start to boil. The intruder just smiled sheepishly.

"I said get out!" The lord repeated.

"Burt, why all the emotions?" The man shrugged his shoulders with a sneaky smile on his face pretending to be interested in a book he was holding. "Oh and by the way what does the word 'la'argent' mean in your book?"

"Please, leave." Burt said again trying to calm his voice a little while talking. This man already was getting on his nerves enough; he didn't have to know what kind of effect he had on the lord.

The middle-aged man closed the book loudly, put it back to the shelf and flipped his hair obviously irritated at Burt's unwelcoming attitude. He walked over the room to his lord keeping the disgusting, sleazy smile on and stopped a few steps away from Burt.

"Sir Hummel, the payments are late." He said sighing dramatically.

"I told you, you'll get them." Burt crossed his hands on his chest.

"I need them now, right away." The man said not looking apologetically at all. It seemed as if he was enjoying their encounter quite dearly.

"You'll ruin my estate. You'll ruin my land…" A glimpse of desperation could be seen on Burt's face as he obviously didn't know what else to say to defend himself. This man was his worst nightmare, the one that was hunting him for close to twenty years now, the one who was ruining his peaceful life and safety.

"You, your highness…" The man said walking even closer to Burt and keeping a tight eye contact while his eyes just laughed at the lord's desperation. "Are the ruin of your estate. You have been for a long long time. And I'm just an obedient servant of fate."

"You… You're a monster, Edmund!" Burt screamed banging his fist to the wooden table next to them.

"Your highness…" The man backed off a little obviously taken aback by Burt's rage."I may be a monster. But you own your entire life to this monster!"

If they had more time and there wasn't so many other worries in Burt's head, he would have argued. He would have told this horrible man what he thought about him, but their encounter was interrupted by a polite female serf who hurried into the room suddenly. She seemed apologetic to intrude and break the tension between the two men, but Burt was quite thankful for her. He was getting really tired of these visits. The serf bowed a little and looked up at her flushed lord as if asking for permission to speak. When Burt nodded breathing loudly and trying not to look at his unwelcome guest, the woman spoke.

"The important guest we've been waiting for is here, sir." She informed him with a smile.

"Tomorrow…" Edmund whispered to Burt before he could say anything and stormed out of the room leaving the nobleman and his serf to their own devices.

* * *

These balls were really the most boring part of Kurt's life. He could never understand how anyone could find anything fun in just standing around and drinking wine. Since he was a little child, Kurt was always required to take part in these gatherings along with his father, one of the noblemen of this land. Being a little boy made things easier: he could just run around, laugh with other young children, play under the tables and whine at the old ladies to give him the most delicious candies. Now everything was different.

Kurt grew up to be a strong, handsome young man that each and every lady desired to dance with or to hear a pleasant word from. Along with that his father was the richest man in this area and it was clear to everyone around that Kurt as his only son will be the inheritor of the estate and the land. He knew his father had expectations of him as well as every other highborn person around here. At these balls he was expected to dance around with beautiful ladies, talk about hunting and politics while bossing his serfs around like everyone else did. But Kurt was very different. He didn't like hunting and he wasn't interested in politics, because he found those very boring and hopeless cases to talk about. He wasn't mean to the serfs, his father Burt taught him that way. Lastly, Kurt wasn't interested in ladies.

About fifteen years ago when Sebastian Smythe, the son of Kurt's uncle Adam, was sent away and later wrote in his letters that he was taken to the army, Kurt hoped to never see him again. One, because he never liked Sebastian when they were kids and two, because Sebastian's name reminded him about his beloved uncle Adam who mysteriously disappeared in the woods while he and Kurt's father were hunting. It wasn't the most pleasant memory of his childhood. But now here he was. Sebastian Smythe. A young soldier standing in their ballroom talking to other noblemen, but obviously eyeing Kurt curiously. Even if they already said their formal hellos, they didn't have the time to speak to one another without Burt's supervision.

So not only was this ball absolutely boring to Kurt—who was trying to keep from yawning as yet another lady sat down by the piano to play something—it was also very uncomfortable being watched by Sebastian like this. Kurt took another sip from his glass letting his minds wonder. Ever since he met those two young serf boys in the woods, he couldn't shake the thought of coming back there to actually talk to them. Or more likely to talk to Blaine, the guy who jumped in the river to save him. He sighed. If he wasn't a serf, then he would have probably invited him for some tea and introduced him to his father. As a friend of course. Kurt couldn't expect anything else. Although the kiss gave him hope… That maybe he wasn't the only one on this land who couldn't imagine his future with a woman.

"I don't recall you being so distracted when we were kids." Sebastian's voice shook him of his thoughts as he noticed the guy standing right next to him. "What a shame that we only get to talk now."

"Shame, indeed." Kurt said calmly sipping his wine and glancing at the soldier for a second. "How do you like the ball?"

"Oh it's lovely…" Sebastian laughed slightly answering and sipping a bit of wine too. "Many beautiful ladies, good music. And pretty calm for a change."

"Must be a real disappointment after the huge balls you've been to in the capital." Kurt just shook his head obviously humoring Sebastian and shrugged. He wanted to ask why the guy came back, he really didn't believe the 'visiting my homeland' bullshit. So he decided not to drag the question away anymore. "Why are you here, Sebastian?"

"And aren't you blunt too?" The soldier look at Kurt a bit taken aback by his straightforward question. He obviously didn't expect the question, but stayed calm and relaxed which got on Kurt's nerves even more. "Why don't you rather ask me about army? Or tell me how you are doing here in a beautiful countryside. Is hunting any good? I mean, my farther used to love it so it must be great…"

"Could you cut the crap?" Kurt clenched his jaw tightly, he got his impulsiveness from his father. "I have to know what's your deal with my father."

"You don't need to know anything."

Sebastian just shook his head looking straight at Kurt. He didn't like the look that the other man was giving him. It seemed to Kurt as if Sebastian was pitying him for still being such a child, as if he wasn't even taking him serious. He hated to be looked at like that, because it made him feel so stupid and worthless and small. Sebastian put a glass of wine on the cabinet and moved closer to Kurt so that their faces were just inches away.

"The czar granted the freedom to the serfs." He said silently so only Kurt could hear him. "Tell anyone before I can and you're so doomed."

Then Sebastian turned around, took his glass of wine, walked over the ballroom's entrance and disappeared in the dark corridor. He didn't even glance once at Kurt.

* * *

"Ninety-six… Ninety-seven…" Edmund was counting clearly to himself out loud trying not to miss any number. He was very picky when it came to money.

"Is everything clear, you fool?" Sebastian was obviously getting impatient as the man in black counted his money. He nervously looked through the window to see the bonfires of serfs burning bright in the horizon. "Seems like they're having a ball too…"

"It's Friday, serfs are celebrating the end of the week. Ninety-eight… Ninety-nine… Oh yes, clear like a day… One hundred." Edmund put the money in his pocket.

"Repeat it." Sebastian demanded.

"I'm not a child. Unlike you." Edmund smiled at the soldier with the sleazy smile. "You pay me. I know what I have to do."

"You watch out…"

The door opened and Burt Hummel walked in the room together with three other noblemen. These were all the men responsible for the land. All serfs, all land belonged to them. And while Burt had the biggest part, three other lords were just as important.

"Edmund…" He addressed the man in black clothes much more calmly now. "How many times do I have to say it? Get out of my estate. We have much more important things to do."

"Oh no, it's fine. Edmund was just telling me how you were getting along here." Sebastian stepped in smiling dearly to his uncle and nodding to other noblemen politely. "He told me what a wonderful hunter you are, uncle Burt."

Burt's jaw clenched. He breathed deeply in and out and gestured other noblemen to take their seats in the common room where a few bottles of expensive drinks were being served and a middle-age serf woman was covering the table.

"Of course, I left the most interesting parts out." Edmund added. "Have a wonderful night, sirs."

Sebastian and other noblemen went to take their places by the table when Burt walked Edmund out. The man obviously didn't intend to stay any longer, but Burt grabbed his arm and stopped him looking right to his eyes.

"I should have gotten rid of you long ago…" He whispered and pushed the money into Edmund's hands. "Here. All of it. Like I promised."

"Do you think you can get away so easily?" Edmund said taking the money and pushing it into his pocket along with Sebastian's payment. "Everything has changed, Burt. There is a new player in the game now, Lieutenant Smythe. My silence has gotten more expensive. More expensive…"

"Where are you going?" Burt asked when the man walked down the corridor.

"To hell!" Edmund shouted back flipping his hair. "As far from your secrets as possible!"

* * *

The minute Blaine heard that Edmund showed up he knew something really happened. That man was like a mediator between serfs and the estate. Not a serf, but not a nobleman either. Nobody knew what money he lived on, but every one knew Edmund and surprisingly trusted him. Blaine was dancing around the bonfire with his friends Sam, Finn and Rachel when they heard the horse and dropped everything to run and see what the man has to say.

"Brothers! The czar!" Edmund shouted and the whole place went completely silent as serfs listened to him. "The czar signed the manifesto!"

"What…"

"What did he sign…"

The confused muttering went through the whole crowd of serfs. Blaine looked around, because he couldn't understand what was happening either. He was pretty sure that he nor his friends didn't know what the manifesto was.

"A manifesto!" Edmund repeated loudly. "He has abolished serfdom."

"How do you know that?" Somebody asked from the crowd.

"Sir Hummel told me!"

Silence stayed for several minutes. Nobody said anything. Then the crowd bursted into shouts of happiness and complete oblivion. For a minute Blaine thought that he was going to faint. How could that be true? How could the czar abolish serfdom just like that? It was like a dream. People kept screaming and hugging each other and kissing one another. Freedom. This word was being repeated thousands and thousands of times in a minute. Blaine fell into Sam's embrace as he saw Finn clutching Rachel closer to his chest. Now he and his friends could get married and have a beautiful life. Now they were finally free.

"But what we are supposed to do now?" Asked some much older serf who didn't seem too impressed by the news.

"I have no idea…" Edmund sighted dramatically. "But Burt Hummel knows! So go and ask him!"

"What? Now?" The man asked obviously confused.

"No, wait for the winter to come…" Edmund laughed at him. "Of course now! Go and ask him! Who's responsible for what now?! Go, all of you!"

* * *

"You should think what you're going to do with your serfs." Sebastian said looking around the room where all most important noblemen were seated along with Burt Hummel who seemed more worried than anyone else. "They'll be full of themselves now."

"But why do you think they're going to up and rebel right away?" Burt asked scanning Sebastian with his worried eyes. "Why, they got their freedom."

"What are they going to do with that freedom of theirs?" One of the fattest noblemen asked brushing his chin with one hand nervously while sipping whiskey with another. "Eat it? Spread it on bread?"

"The serfs may have gotten their freedom, but they didn't get something more important." Sebastian agreed nodding his head and crossing his hands on the chest. "Land. Listen, gentlemen, whether the peasant is free or not, he still has to eat…"

"And since the land is ours, he's not going to run far away from us!" Finished the young soldier's words the fattest noblemen.

Burt stood up. He couldn't listen calmly anymore as all the noblemen were degrading these poor people who worked so hard to survive and serve the noblemen. He walked over to the window not knowing where to put his eyes while he really didn't want to join the conversation. The manifesto worried him too, he didn't know how people were going to react, what they were going to do without a land. But he knew, or at least dearly hoped, that none of them will try to hurt him or his son.

"So I'm saying if you need my help, my men and I are always here…"

"So kind of you, so kind…"

Burt heard noblemen and Sebastian in the background. Mixed feelings went through his chest when he pushed the curtains to look through the window. His heart started beating fast. What Burt saw was breath-taking. A huge crowd of serfs with burning torches were moving closer to his estate.

"What is it?" One noblemen asked Burt seeing his shocked face.

The crowed was moving fast and Burt pushed the curtains for all noblemen to see. The gasps were heard behind him.

"Oh god… I think it's starting…"


	4. Chapter 3 - Little Birdy

**A/N: **Kurt and Blaine meet again in this chapter :) Enjoy!

Also, review, follow, favorite.. It makes me very happy!

* * *

_Chapter 3 – Little Birdy_

Everything happened a little bit too fast. They were all happily hugging each other and repeating the word freedom over and over again as if saying it loudly thousands of times made it even more real, but a few minutes later that happiness turned into confusion and desperation for answers. None of them knew what they were supposed to do now when obviously they didn't have to plough the noblemen's land and serve the estates anymore. But what came next? Even if they were very happy, people felt lost and Edmund's enthusiastic encouragements pushed them towards the estate to demand the answers from the noblemen.

"I know that this is very bad." Blaine heard Rachel who was walking a little behind him; one hand in Finn's and a torch in the other "I can feel it in my veins, you know? This is not going to end well… I don't know what we are doing here."

"It's going to be absolutely fine, my dear." Finn's voice came from behind then. "We'll just go to Sir Hummel and ask him what we have to do now. He's a good man, he'll tell us."

Blaine knew that Finn wasn't completely wrong. Burt Hummel was the most likable noblemen of all in their land. Everyone knew about his kind heart and generous attitude towards his serfs. Even if most of the serfs feared him just like all the other noblemen, the respect they felt for him was much larger and far greater. Burt Hummel earned it by running his estate and the land with justice and humanity. But Blaine could also feel it in his guts, just like Rachel said, that this wasn't right. Simply put, a crowd of serfs walking with their heads held high and torches in hands wasn't the most welcoming sight you can see in the night. Blaine had a really deep urge to turn around and go back, but pushed the thought away.

When they finally reached the Hummel estate, it was obvious that word had already gone out that the crowd was to be expected. Household serfs and guests of the ball were running to the estate trying to grab as much as they could on the way. Blaine saw a real fear in the eyes of women and kids who took a glance at them before hiding behind the strong walls of the estate. He couldn't understand why they would be afraid of serfs. A quick thought came to Blaine's head: maybe he'll get to see Hummel's son today again? Ever since the encounter at the river, he couldn't shake the desire and interest for him to see the beautiful man again. Maybe talk… Or steal a quick glance at least…The serf tried to search for Kurt Hummel's face in the running crowd of noblemen, but he couldn't see him.

They were steps away from the entrance to the estate when the crowd stopped. Blaine wasn't in the front so he couldn't see it clearly, but he noticed some soldiers surrounding the crowd from all sides. Everything went silent for a moment. Blaine tried to see over the heads of taller men when… The sound of a gun being shot at something scratched their ears. People screamed. The crowd scattered all over the path and Blaine didn't know where to run. He tried to run backwards, but a soldier's horse blocked his way, then he ran forward and saw it. A few serfs were lying on the ground dead. He couldn't believe his eyes and the blood started boiling in his veins.

"Put down your weapons! Don't shoot!"

Blaine saw one of the noblemen, Burt Hummel, running around gesturing to the soldiers while on the other side he could see another man, much younger dressed in soldier's uniform, but he obviously seemed like some kind of the leader of the group pointing his gun at absolutely unarmed people and shooting with no mercy. Blaine gasped when yet another man fell to the ground dead.

"Attack! Leave no one alive!"

The soldier kept screaming around. Blaine tried to run the other way, but the man noticed him. At some point he caught the guy's eyes and he regretted it. They were furious. They were full of excitement and anger and rage. The soldier gestured to some of his men and then towards Blaine's. The serf's eyes widened as he realized that soldiers were ordered to catch him. He tried to run away as fast as he could and he almost reached the woods… But suddenly everything went black.

* * *

"So, son of a bitch? You're going to talk or not?"

The second time Blaine woke up in a dark shed, he was already aware of where he was and what was being done to him. He was also aware that he was tied up, not very tightly though and if he wasn't so dizzy he could just rip off these ropes and jump out of the window. But the dizzyness wasn't going away while czar's soldiers were splashing cold freezing water on him over and over again.

"My dear rebel…" Sebastian Smythe addressed the serf one more time standing calmly in front of him. "It's written all over your face. A rebel."

"Well, your face reminds me of a horse's ass." Blaine managed to spit out the words from clenched teeth, but then yet another punch came to his stomach and he screamed. Maybe it was because of the adrenaline or maybe the anger for all the people killed back there, but Blaine openly laughed to the soldier's face. "Oh sure! You only know how to beat people who are tied-up and unarmed. Right?! No balls!"

"Back in the capital we would have cut open your belly and watched as the dogs ate your guts while you were still alive." Sebastian answered simply smiling at Blaine's words and nodding together with his soldiers.

"So go back to your capital then!" Blaine screamed at him. "What is your deal here?!"

Another punch came then, this time to his face, and Blaine lost consciousness. When he regained it again, for the third time already, Blaine was pretty sure he was alone. The soldiers had left already, but not before tightening his ropes and no matter how much he tried, he couldn't free himself. He tried again and again, but nothing worked. Finally, when the serf almost lost all hope, he heard something. Blaine turned a little bit around and saw two very familiar men climbing through one of the shed's windows.

Finn and Sam were climbing and struggling, but still managed to get in and moved towards their tied friend carefully. Blaine almost wanted to tell them that it's alright and the soldiers left already, but he didn't want to startle them. When the boys finally made sure that they were alone with Blaine, they hurried forward. Blaine couldn't stop himself from smiling, not remembering the last time he was so glad to see his friends.

"Why do I always have to save your ass, huh?" Sam muttered to him while he and Finn worked on the ropes.

"Because I have a grade-A ass!" Blaine whispered back at him trying to joke a little. "Thank you." When they finally freed him, Blaine hugged them both a little awkwardly and took his shirt putting it on.

"Let's go, Blaine, hurry up…" He heard Sam whining in the dark.

But his deal here wasn't over. Blaine knew this wasn't the smartest idea that ever came to his head, but he wanted to see Kurt Hummel. He wanted to see him and tell him that he wasn't a rebel. He wanted to see Kurt and maybe ask him what happens next. In the end he just egotistically wanted to see him and hear his voice. Blaine understood that he has never been this close to the guy before.

"You go, I'll catch up." He said to his friends and pushed them towards the window. "Hurry up."

"You fool…" Blaine heard Sam and Finn whispering to each other, but they didn't argue and jumped out of the window leaving the young serf alone to look for the right window to Kurt Hummel's rooms.

* * *

Kurt didn't want to look out of the window. He didn't want to look out and watch all the innocent people being killed. Nobody really told him what happened, but he knew. He knew about the manifesto of freedom and he heard about the conditions that they are not giving the serf's the land. Thinking to himself, young nobleman couldn't understand why, he couldn't understand what was the problem of leaving the land to the serfs. They lived there already anyways. Yet he also couldn't understand why all these people were trying to take his father's estate and hurt them. Shouldn't they be celebrating now when they got their freedom?

The gunfire was ending and screams fading when Kurt decided to finally go to bed. There was nothing he could do and his father really wouldn't have let him out of the estate when it was this late and this dangerous around. He slowly changed to his sleeping clothes, brushed his hair and was in the middle of making the bed when he heard something. The sound was coming out of the window, so Kurt grabbed some book he had close and moved towards the sound.

He almost gasped when he saw some man dressed in serf clothes climbing into his room through the window. Kurt panicked for a second, but then clenched the book tighter in his hands and waited for the guy to finish climbing… Then he banged the book at the man's head and had him falling on his bed.

"Jesus Christ!" Blaine screamed when a pretty strong hit came to his head and fell on the bed which was close to the window. "Are you out of your mind?"

Kurt recognized the voice right away. A second later he saw the guy's face. It was definitely the serf he met the other day by the river. Blaine. The guy looked like he was hit by a horse this time, but it still was the same Blaine. Kurt bit his lip a little keeping away in a safe distance and still holding the book in his hands as a weapon.

"What are you doing here?" He asked carefully.

Meanwhile Blaine was trying to regain his composure from the unexpected hit on his head. When he finally managed to see clearly, he sat up and looked confusingly at the young man that he so wanted to see.

"Where is here?" Blaine asked innocently studying Kurt's face. He looked a little bit more tired, but just as bright and beautiful as he remembered him.

"In my bed!" Kurt answered right away and his cheeks burned from the sudden reaction. He put the book down and cleared his throat. "I mean, in my room…"

"Well, I'm kind of escaping." Blaine laughed and rubbed his head as he watched Kurt put the book down on the table and stand in front of him. It was pretty obvious that the nobleman didn't trust him yet and Blaine couldn't blame him with all the things happening behind the window.

"They'll catch you anyways." Kurt said simply looking at Blaine just as curiously as the serf was looking at him.

"No, they won't." The serf said standing up and slowly moving closer to Kurt. He didn't know what force dragged him so close to the nobleman, but it just did and Blaine couldn't fight against it. "Their arms are too short." He added then and laughed a little.

"So where are you going to go now?" Kurt asked. "Are you going to climb into some stinking hole and sit there for the rest of your life?"

Blaine watched Kurt and no matter what his words said he wasn't shying away from the serf. It seemed as if this encounter was just as pleasant to the young highborn as it was to the serf. Kurt's body language told him that he was allowed to come closer and Blaine did. Their eyes met and the serf reached out his hand to touch Kurt's bare arm. They both held their breaths in for a few seconds. The touch was so electrifying.

"What, little birdy, you think a golden cage is better than a stinking hole?" Blaine asked brushing his fingers over Kurt's arm and staring him right to the eyes. "Of course if you always get what you want then…"

"At least I know what I want!" Kurt said louder this time as his hand touched Blaine's chest.

"I also know what I want…" Blaine leaned in closer, so close that their faces were almost touching.

"And what?" The words came out of Kurt mouth almost like a whisper.

They couldn't keep the eye contact anymore and Blaine pushed their lips together gently. Kurt's hands wrapped around the serf's neck and they kissed deeply drinking each and every scent, taste and feel that they could get from this kiss as if it was the last one. When they finally leaned back gasping for air, Blaine was the first one to speak.

"What I want… I want to smell the mist when it rises from the lake in the morning." He said and when Kurt only smiled amused with flushed cheeks, Blaine continued. "I want to feel the horse when he's running free through the fields… The grass growing… I want to hear the grass growing… Quietly, quietly… And I want to love… Freely…"

They stayed in each other's embrace for a long, long time. They didn't speak. The screams, the voices, the castes, the duties… Everything went to the background leaving them standing there in the middle of Kurt's room not talking, not kissing, but just feeling each other. And it made them both as content and happy as they didn't think they were allowed to feel. Kurt wanted everything that Blaine mentioned too. Oh god, how much he wanted it.

The only sound that managed to disturb their peaceful scene was a loud banging on the door. Kurt freed himself from Blaine's embrace and pushed him towards the wall where he would be able to hide behind the open door and maybe even sneak out if the time is right. It was crazy how fast a human brain can work when it needs to find a solution out of a hopeless situation.

"Kurt, open the door."

It was Burt Hummel's voice and Blaine recognized it right away. He stole one more quick kiss while Kurt was running towards the door and got a playful punch to his side. He didn't know if he should laugh or cry but his first intention now was to get out and to not be caught again.

"What?"Kurt quickly opened the door trying to look as calm as possible as his farther walked in and looked around the room curiously.

"Is everything alright?" Burt asked looking at Kurt suspiciously. He moved closer and touched his son's flushed cheek. It wasn't very usual for Kurt to get this flushed.

"Everything is fine. I'm getting ready for bed." Kurt said and smiled dearly trying to calm his farther who looked really worried. "Dad, really, I'm absolutely fine." Kurt added then.

"Okay…" Burt let out a deep heavy sight obviously with his mind occupied with too many things at once. "Just stay safe, okay?" He kissed Kurt's cheek and walked towards the door. "Goodnight, Kurt."

"Goodnight, dad."

When Burt Hummel closed the door behind him and Kurt looked around the room, Blaine was already gone.


	5. Chapter 4 - The Shot

**A/N: **Hello everyone, I am so sorry for the long delay of this chapter, but I hope there are still people who want to read and follow this story till the end. I'm having troubles with my beta, but hoping to find a new one soon.

Follow, favorite, review! All outcome is very much appreciated.

K.

* * *

_Chapter 4 – The Shot _

When Blaine managed to sneak out of the estate unnoticed, a real hell opened up in front of his eyes. A few barns were burning bright fire, horses were running around scared and a bunch of people, serfs and noblemen, were trying to catch them. They were all screaming something at each other that Blaine couldn't quite hear because of the loud noises. In this huge mess the soldiers seemed a little calmer than the others dragging the dead bodies of the serfs that have been killed that night away. Blaine clenched his teeth. He couldn't understand how everything got so messed up in just one night. It was so unfair that these innocent people won't even have decent funerals. And that they won't get a chance to live their lives any more when for the first time in forever they were free.

Blaine leaned by the corner of one barn and closed his eyes for a second breathing deeply and trying to stop his hands from shaking. He couldn't understand what he was thinking to himself kissing the man who was half-responsible for what was happening here because he was a nobleman himself.

What Blaine did tonight wasn't right or normal. He could logically understand it. But oh god, how right it felt. With his eyes closed Blaine could almost feel Kurt's body pressed tightly to his, he could smell him, fresh and clean, he could feel his lips so modestly tasting him… Blaine was sure that he has never felt as good before as when he was in the guy's embrace. And yet Kurt Hummel was a nobleman. Kurt Hummel's origin made him responsible for a horrible sight that Blaine could see when he opened his eyes. He tried to shrug away the desire, but knew that if he ever saw Kurt again he wouldn't be able to resist him.

Trying to move away from the estate unnoticed Blaine tried to put two and two together in his head. He couldn't understand why Kurt's farther would order to kill his serfs who were just coming to talk to him. Absolutely innocent people. Also, he couldn't understand how Kurt would allow it and then kiss him just like that. But when Blaine thought back about what he saw, Burt Hummel wasn't shooting at serfs or ordering to do it. Soldiers were. Blaine didn't understand it. Wasn't Burt Hummel much more influential than the simple soldiers? Wasn't he a nobleman that soldiers were supposed to listen to? It was so confusing.

"Where the hell have you been, you fool?"

Blaine almost screamed when someone grabbed him and dragged into a deeper corner by the barn. When he saw that it was only Sam and Finn, he felt more than relieved. It was already a second time that night when his friends were saving his grade-A ass and even if Blaine didn't want them to risk anymore for him here they were obviously waiting there for him to show up.

"I'm sorry, I had to do some stuff." He said hurrying and only received disapproving looks from the boys. "It's all good now. We have to go before someone noticed us."

For a while the escaping went pretty well and three serf boys managed to get through the chaotic crowd and almost reach the road that was leading them to their home, the village. But to get there became much more difficult when they saw that the czar's soldiers were safeguarding the road so that nobody can sneak out anymore. The serfs stayed in a dark corner for a while discussing all possible ways to get out, but they were stuck. Blaine knew that there was no other way out rather than just run back by the soldiers, grab a free horse that was nibbling grass on the left side of the road and ride as fast as they can. When Blaine offered this risky plan, Sam tried to argue and wasn't happy about it, but it was too late. Blaine spontaneously jumped and was already running down the road towards the horse.

"Oh look! Catch them!"

It didn't take long for the soldiers to notice them, but Blaine, being very fast and deft, managed to reach the horse way before the soldiers did. He quickly grabbed the lace and jumped on it. Sam and Finn were right behind him jumping on the horse and Blaine wanted to cheer when the horse leaped forward. For a minute Blaine thought that they escaped. A minute later he heard…

The shot.

It scratched Blaine's ears and when he quickly turned around he saw Finn's body falling off the horse to a cold and hard ground. Blaine's hands and legs went numb and he would have almost stopped if not for Sam who grabbed the lace with no words and hurried the horse.

Blaine burst into tears.

* * *

They stopped in a dirty swamp and Sam pushed Blaine off the horse. It was probably the only place where soldiers won't be looking for them. Even if they got tired of chasing these two serfs, Sam didn't want to risk anymore to be caught so foolishly. Also, there was quite a safe way to the village from this swamp when they needed it. Sam climbed off after Blaine and tied the horse lace to the tree. They both stood there dead silent.

"I… I'm sorry…" Blaine whispered. He didn't cry anymore, but he felt like a huge hole opened up in his chest. He knew it was his fault and he didn't have any more tears to cry nor did he know what to do to make it right. Finn was dead and Blaine was responsible for it. It was a cruel truth.

Sam didn't say anything at first and just stood there clenching his teeth and soothing the horse neck. It seemed as if he was trying to suppress the tears too. Then he walked over to Blaine and pushed him hard, but Blaine didn't fight him.

"So you had your fun, huh?" Sam asked his voice shaking. Then he slapped Blaine's face not even trying to be gentle. "That's for Rachel." He said and this time punched Blaine in the stomach. "That's for your grade-A ass." Added and the last punch flew straight to Blaine's face. "And that's for Finn."

Blaine fell to the ground not even trying to fight his friend and his whole body shook as he sobbed silently. He couldn't believe himself. He couldn't believe what just happened and that he just literally killed one of his best friends. Blaine couldn't even imagine how he is going to look Rachel in the eyes. Burying his face to his legs Blaine couldn't speak for a while. The places where Sam punched him didn't hurt as much as his heart. His nose didn't bleed as much as his soul.

"Sam… Sam…" He whispered that his friend could barely hear it. "I'm sorry… I thought… I thought that…"

"Don't think! You don't think, Blaine!" Sam shouted looking at him with disappointed eyes filled with tears. "Feel! Feel it in here…"

Sam bent down and pushed Blaine's chest where his heart was. He stayed like that for a minute, looked at Blaine one more time before walking away. It was obvious that he needed some space too.

"And if you have any heart at all, do something so that no one ever has to suffer because of you again." He added before disappearing behind the trees.

* * *

Kurt has never had such a beautiful morning as that one. He woke up with sun streaming on his face and a warm wind moving the curtains. It seemed as if the weather was laughing at itself and people inviting them to go outside and play. Kurt ate his breakfast very fast not even waiting for his dad to wake up, then dressed up and asked one of the serfs to saddle his horse. All he wanted was to ride free and enjoy the day.

It seemed that the weather was just like Kurt's mood. He fell asleep with a huge smile on his face last night and woke up with an even bigger one this morning. He couldn't forget what happened last night in his room with a strong serf. Blaine wasn't a prince from a fairy-tale; Kurt knew that. He wasn't even a highborn. But his touch, his words and his lips were so electrifying and so dreamy that the young nobleman couldn't resist him. It was the first time that any man ever showed such interest in Kurt and for the first time he felt so desirable and beautiful. For the first time he felt so alive.

Blaine to him was like a symbol of everything he didn't have. Even if he was a serf and had to work hardly for noblemen, in Kurt's eyes he was free. He could walk around the woods and the fields for hours and have nobody looking for him. He lived in the nature and understood it. He talked about the mist; he wanted to be like a free horse running through the fields… It seemed as if Blaine was speaking and living all Kurt's deepest dreams and desires. Kurt was limited by the walls of his father's estate, his duties and his origin. While he really wanted to, he couldn't just live the way he wanted and loving a serf was definitely not something he could do. Kurt knew that it was too late though. He was already in love with Blaine.

Not even noticing where he was going, Kurt rode his horse through the fields and reached the village where all serfs lived. He knew it wasn't the safest place to go now and his father wouldn't approve, so he only rode by the side of the village not going deep into it. Deep inside Kurt hoped that now when the czar granted freedom to the serfs maybe he and Blaine had a chance. Maybe he had a chance to get to know him and all the serfs. He hoped that they won't want to hurt them just for the land anymore.

Kurt breathed in the fresh scent of the nature and listen to the birds singing. Is that what it feels like to be in love? Is that what it tastes and sounds like? Does it really make you see a world much more beautiful than it is?

For a while he rode still stuck deep in his thoughts, but suddenly the smell changed and he quickly opened his eyes. What he saw was nothing like Kurt expected. He gasped and covered his mouth with his palm. There were many dead bodies lying on the ground and even more of them hung up on the trees. Deeper in the village Kurt could see Sebastian's soldiers riding around and shouting at the serfs. He turned his horse there.

"There's a rebel in here! Take him!"

Kurt heard Sebastian's voice when he reached the centre of the place. He was dragging random men out of their sheds and shooting them while ordering his soldiers to do the same. A huge crowd of women, children, young boys and girls were surrounding the soldiers, but they couldn't do anything or if they tried the gun was being pointed at their heads. Kurt stopped by the crowd and watched hopelessly trying to think of something to do to help them.

"Here we go." Sebastian said pushing one dead body with his foot. "These will lie here until we hang all of the rebels in the gallows. Search all of the villages. Every house. Who's inciting the rebels? Who's hiding?"

It didn't take Sebastian long to notice Kurt watching the scene a few feets away and their eyes met for a second. Kurt couldn't understand what he saw in Sebastian's eyes, but he really didn't like it. It seemed as if the soldier was enjoying it, as if killing innocent people wasn't new or hard to him. Kurt couldn't say for sure, but it seemed as if he was having real fun here. And now when he had Kurt as his audience… Even more.

"And I'll leave my men here." He added gesturing to the bodies. "So that you, serfs, won't drag the bodies away like rats…"

"Stop."

Everyone turned around to see Kurt moving his horse slowly towards Sebastian. Kurt didn't know if all of the serfs knew who he was or could recognize him. He was pretty sure that he and his dad has never been to the village before. Trying to breathe deep and stay calm, Kurt reached Sebastian who seemed quite impressed by that.

"Sebastian Smythe, I order you to stop shooting at these innocent people." He said loudly. "I am Kurt Hummel, the son of your nobleman Burt Hummel. No matter what this is still _my_ land and I will not allow anyone to murder any more of _my_ serfs without having any valid reason."

"Oh we have a reason!" Sebastian answered smirking at him. "These are all the rebels, Sir."

The serfs seemed very confused seeing this argument, but obviously a new young highborn man who was stopping the pointless shooting gained their trust right away and they were impressed by his straight and strong posture which was much calmer compared to the soldiers.

"Nobody proved them to be rebels. Or did you, Lieutenant Smythe?" He asked looking at Sebastian with his one eyebrow raised up. When he didn't say anything, Kurt nodded satisfied. "I thought so. Back to the estate then. There's nothing else for you to do here."

Sebastian didn't argue with Kurt anymore and Kurt knew that it was partly because the soldier didn't expect this from Kurt. It felt pleasant to get back at the guy for being so judgemental to him before, but Kurt also felt right doing this. These were his people. He had to protect and take care of them. Also, deep inside he knew that one of the killed men who were lying on the ground could have been Blaine… And he didn't want to even think about losing him when they just found each other. Oh how much Kurt would have given up knowing that Blaine was alright now and wasn't killed by the soldiers yet.

Trying not to think too much about it and stay calm the nobleman waited while Sebastian called back all his men, they climbed on their horses and followed Kurt leaving only the soldiers who were looking after the bodies. It wasn't ideal, but at least Kurt managed to stop the killing. They rode slowly and he didn't turn around even if he felt the eyes of the serfs and the soldiers buried into his back.

"Your father won't like this, Kurt." Sebastian said silently when they almost reached the estate riding side by side.

"Oh I'm sure he will very much approve of me stopping you from becoming any more of a murderer." Kurt answered and hurried his horse not wanting to talk to Sebastian anymore.

He knew now. He understood. It wasn't just a rebellion. Even if there was a rebellion, of which Kurt wasn't sure… It was a real war, a battle. And it wasn't a battle between serfs and noblemen. It was a battle between humanity and the system, the rights and the duties. Serfs weren't fighting with noblemen or trying to hurt them or take their home. Serfs were fighting for their right to be free, to own a land and to live their lives. They were fighting against a cruelty of the czar's soldiers.

Noblemen only had to choose which side to support. The serfs or the soldiers. And as a nobleman Kurt knew exactly on whose side he was.


	6. Chapter 5 - Rumors

**A/N:** Hi everyone! I'm so happy that since I uploaded this story it only gained followers. It shows to me that you really like it and I should continue. This chapter is a bit slow, but it had to be done to explain a few things. The main action will start in the next one. I hope you'll enjoy it anyway.

One of you asked me to make Sebastian mess with Kurt. That will happen eventually, maybe not in a way you expect. So keep reading this and you'll find out :)

Can't wait for more reviews!

K.

* * *

_Chapter 5 – Rumors _

Blaine couldn't find a place for himself. Even when he and Sam came back to the village for the night and sneaked into their sheds locking the door and closing the windows tightly, he couldn't sleep. The guilt was eating him alive. His whole body hurt from being hit by the soldiers and Sam, but it felt like he deserved every single punch and the pain that he was feeling now. He tried to walk around his place, to organize things, to tidy but whenever he went or whatever he did he could see Finn's face and hear Sam's words: make it right. How could he make it right?

Blaine had absolutely no idea what to do with soldiers shaking all villages around. When he and Sam came back they saw a bunch of dead bodies in the centre of the place being watched by the czar's soldiers. These serf men deserved beautiful funeral, all those innocent people, but they were lying there and shamelessly rotting. When he got short of things to tidy in his shed, Blaine tried to lie down and sleep for a while, but it was even harder. The minute he closed his eyes he could see a lot of dead bodies, soldiers and Finn's face… He could feel pain, but the pain turned into warmth and pleasure as he felt Kurt's body and lips pressing to his… It all mixed up and became one huge nightmare.

In the middle of a night Blaine sit up not being able to bare it anymore. He had to do something. He had to make it right somehow and lying in bed wasn't helping at all. He had to prove it to his friends that he didn't want to hurt anyone and he had to prove it to himself that he deserved Kurt's interest and love. Blaine took his knife, the only gun he ever owned, put on a dark shawl and sneaked out to the night. He walked straight to the village centre even if he wasn't exactly sure what he is going to do yet.

Walking around Blaine could see three soldiers sleeping and only two were left sitting by the side and talking amongst themselves in a language that he wasn't able to understand. Most of them had their guns close, but didn't look like they were watching the bodies too much. They probably thought that the serfs were scared enough of them and won't try to do anything or even come close. Not Blaine though. He walked around in the dark for a while when an idea came to his head. If he couldn't save Finn or any of the serfs from death, he could at least normally bury them and not let the soldiers to make fun of their legacy anymore. It didn't take him long to come up with a plan to make it happen.

Blaine waited while four soldiers fell asleep and left only one to watch over the bodies. He grabbed a thick stick, creeped closer and then hit the four sleep soldiers on the heads so hard that they fell unconscious. The fifth soldier noticed him right away and ran over trying to take out his gun, but Blaine was faster. He hit the man on the head too and when he fell down the serf grabbed his gun. He looked around if nobody heard him, but the village was silent. As silent as the unconscious soldiers.

Not being sure if he killed them or only took their consciousness for a while, Blaine hurried to take care of the bodies. He looked around the faces and respectfully closed their eyes. Most of them seemed like they died in pain or scared. Seeing that broke Blaine's heart and he couldn't keep silent tears from falling down his face when he carried the bodies to the cemetery of the village and buried them one after another. He spent a minute or two to stand by each of their grave and pray for them. When he finally noticed Finn's face in the dark, Blaine almost sobbed out loud. It was all his fault, he was the one who was supposed to be lying in Finn's place… Trying to keep silent he carried his friend and found a grave where Finn's parents were buried and buried him together with them. That was the last thing he could do to honor his friend. Rachel will understand, he knew…

Blaine didn't think he worked that long, but apparently it took him the whole night, because when he buried the last serf, a new day was dawning already. He quickly looked at the soldiers still not sure if he killed them, but if they didn't wake up probably that was the case. Blaine felt numb, but at least he did something right. When he finished working, the serf quickly picked up one gun from the soldiers, his stick and sneaked out of the village before anyone could wake up and recognize him.

He had to do something.

* * *

"But the rebels were maybe a hundred men! And they burned Hummel's estate to ashes!"

Blaine heard these words the next day when he was eating his poor slice of bread sitting on a street corner in the bazaar. He spent the whole night wondering around the village and looking for a safe place to hide, but he didn't know where to go, so he came up with the idea that not hiding was the best policy. If he didn't hide and didn't act like he did something, then nobody will look for him. Blaine was aching to hear the news about the rebellion and if anyone noticed his nightly work, so that's how he ended up in the bazaar. It was the best place to hear all the rumors.

"They only burned down the stables…"

Looking up Blaine could see two very well-dressed men talking about the rebellion and started listening more carefully. It seemed like one of them was trying to convince the other of something. What Blaine didn't understand was why they said that the stables were burned by the rebels when he saw with his eyes that the soldiers did it by shooting foolishly.

"What stables – they burned the entire estate to the ground!" The first man gestured enthusiastically and Blaine almost chuckled. He knew that the Hummel estate was still standing there all good, he's been inside even.

"You're talking nonsense, my dear friend." The second man laughed obviously not taking his friend's words seriously. "But have you heard about what happened in the village last night?"

"Oh of course! Who haven't?" The other man answered. "The rebels buried all killed serfs… What honorable men… Such bravery, such morality…"

Blaine couldn't wrap his head around what these men were talking. He wasn't brave or moral… He wasn't even honorable… He was just a serf trying to make things right. Also, he knew that rebels didn't burn the stables and didn't bury the serfs. Something didn't fit quite right here. He tried to think for a while and suddenly it hit him.

There was no rebellion.

Yet.

Everyone thought that these things were done by the rebels, but the rebellion didn't start yet and all of that was just a coincidence. Somehow magically Blaine found himself involved in the middle of that coincidence. But he could also see now how people looked up at the rumored rebels, how they trusted and needed them. Sighting and standing up he felt a gun shifting close to his body. It seemed like he found a way to make things right.

"Did anyone see him? The rebel leader." Blaine heard one woman asking her friend when he walked down the street of the bazaar.

"No,but they say he's as big as a mountain!" The woman in a blue dress answered out loud supposedly showing with her hand how big that rebel leader was.

Blaine smiled sheepishly. He wasn't as big as a mountain, but he could try.

* * *

Burt didn't know what he was thinking to himself when he agreed to meet Edmund one more time. It was probably even more foolish of him to agree to meet him in his house rather than in the Hummel estate where he was surrounded by serfs that he trusted. Now he found himself in the middle of a room with a gun pointed at his head and Edmund smiling calmly.

"What does it mean, Edmund?" Burt asked trying to not make any fast moves. "You know, I can report you to the soldiers, right?"

"Oh of course I know. I know a lot of things." Edmund shook his head as if he couldn't believe Burt's stupidity. "Something what others should know too. And especially our young Smythe."

Burt didn't know what to say. This man knew way too much for his own good and he was using it to blackmail him for years, but he never took it that far. Edmund pointed the gun to the table in the middle of the room and two chairs. He gestured for the nobleman to sit down and they did. What else Burt could do with a gun pointed at his head? He knew that Edmund would kill him if he wanted to and no one could stop him.

"What do you want from me?" Burt asked, because obviously money that he's been paying for years wasn't enough anymore. Edmund pushed a sheet of paper towards him with a free hand. "What is it?" Burt asked and looked at the paper.

"An endowment note." Edmund said smiling and chuckled obviously very happy with his plan. "That you are charmed with the loyalty of your obedient servant and the merits of his entire life… You give him the land and the estate which previously belonged to you and Adam Smythe – well, that's the one you killed – but which belongs to only you now. Signed by Burt Hummel."

"Fuck you!" Burt screamed, grabbed the paper and tore it into pieces.

"Oh what a good clerk I got…" Edmund only laughed at the lord's rage and took out another paper just like the first one while he still pointed the gun at Burt's head. "He wrote out two and only charged me for one…"

"I'd rather die…" Burt spit out trying to keep his posture strong and unaffected, but it was so difficult in that situation. He had nowhere to run.

"Just think, Burt, what will happen to your estate?" Edmund asked pretending to be sad. "To your faithful serfs… And to your lovely… Naive son..."

Burt raised his head to look at Edmund one more time. Kurt was his light, his happiness and his life. He was his heritor too. The land and the estate after his death will go to Kurt. He couldn't let Edmund to take it from them, but he also couldn't let Kurt to get hurt. The nobleman looked at the gun one more time. There was no way out and he didn't want to prove Edmund turning the gun back at him and become a murderer one more time. So he took the pen and signed the papers.

"Damn you with that land." Burt whispered and threw the pen down his eyes full of tears. Then he looked up at Edmund with disgust. "When are you going to take it?" He asked.

"When you clean up the mess and the rebellion." Edmund answered and chuckled.

* * *

Kurt has been looking for his father the whole morning. None of their household serfs knew where he went or were ordered not to tell, so Kurt was left on his own. He really needed to talk to his dad and tell him what Sebastian was doing in the village. The young nobleman couldn't believe that his father would let anyone hurt his people so much and make such a chaos on his land. And Sebastian was doing exactly that. So after a long hour of looking, Kurt found Burt in a pasture with horses.

"Why are you hiding?" Kurt asked softly when he reached his dad and saw him brushing one horse's mane.

"You know, horses are better than people." Burt answered calmly, but Kurt could hear a weird sadness in his voice. "They understand everything… They never betray you… They'll run away if things are bad, but won't betray you."

"Daddy…" Kurt walked over to his father and touched his arm softly. "Have you seen what Sebastian is doing in the village?"

"Yes…" Burt only nodded his head hopelessly. "The world has changed, Kurt. I've changed."

"Please, don't…" Kurt leaned closer to his father putting his head on Burt's shoulder and reached out to soothe the horse's back. He really didn't know what else to say. They couldn't just fix it and Kurt felt how tense his dad was when he touched him. Burt wasn't one of those men that share a lot of his thoughts with his son, but he didn't have to. Kurt just felt him.

"I can't tell my friends from my enemies anymore, my boy." Burt added somehow quieter and sighted deeply. Kurt could hear pain in his dad's voice as he obviously didn't know what to do either. They were lost, stuck between the duties and czar's dirty games and their own morals and humanity.

They stayed like that for a few minutes trying to calm one another, soothing the horse and brushing their manes. They didn't talk not wanting to disturb the peace, because they both knew they won't get to enjoy this peace for long. Kurt could see that his father was hopeless against the soldiers who were sent by the czar. Everyone was hopeless against czar's will. And yet there was a rebellion rising in their woods with a bunch of brave people fighting against the powers they couldn't even imagine existed. It inspired Kurt deeply.

"Everything will be alright, dad." Kurt said finally and put down the brush.

"No, it won't… No, Kurt." Burt answered and shook his head. He walked over and hugged his son with his strong arms.

The only one that Burt wanted to protect so much was his son and he felt scared, because with time it became clear that it will not be that easy. It was very rare to see Burt scared, but Kurt understood now that his dad was just as terrified and lost as he was.

* * *

"Do you know any of the rebels? Do you maybe know where they are hiding?" Kurt asked softly a small, maybe ten years old serf boy who he caught in the bazaar. His serfs were buying some vegetables and they didn't hear him, so it was a perfect time to make his plan happen. It was obvious that the boy felt quite intimidated by the nobleman, so Kurt tried to be friendly and simple with him.

"No, no… I don't know any of the rebels…"

The boy's eyes started flicking as he tried to avoid Kurt's eyes and it was clear to the young man that this serf boy knows something. He didn't want to scare the boy even more, so Kurt took out a small cloth bag. It was full of candies and little treats that Kurt managed to find in his estate and knew that little boys would like to have. The boy's eyes flickered again.

"Okay, let's say you don't know any of the rebels. But if you accidentally knew… Or had any friends who knew…" Kurt smiled at the boy encouraging and pushed the bag with candies into his hand along with a small letter. "Please, find this one rebel called Blaine and give him this letter. He will know who it's from. And if you don't find him, burn this letter so nobody else can read it, okay?"

The boy hesitated for a minute, but took the candies and the letter and nodded his head a little. Kurt smiled at him one more time. He hoped that it will work.

"It means so much to me. Thank you." Kurt added then and walked away after kissing the boy's forehead softly.


	7. Chapter 6 - Young rebel

**A/N:** This chapter focuses more on Blaine's point of view. Rebellion starts.

Don't forget to review if you like it! :)

K.

* * *

_Chapter 6 – Young rebel _

It didn't take long for Blaine to come up with a plan how to attract young serfs to the rebellion and how to annoy the soldiers more. The blood was boiling in his veins and the adrenaline and anger pushed him further. Blaine wanted to show everyone that they can't just shoot at innocent people and get away unharmed. They can't just laugh at serfs giving them freedom, but then treat them like animals. The whole anger and rage for the system started rushing out of Blaine like a flood and he wasn't even trying to stop it.

The next day Blaine has been looking for soldiers and found them in one of the villages doing what they used to do every day lately: torturing young serf men and asking the same questions over and over again. Who's helping the rebels? Who's instigating? Who's hiding? Who burned the stabled? Who buried the dead serfs?

"I did everything!" Blaine stormed into the shed right away when he heard them, but the soldiers grabbed him before he could reach one of the leaders of the pack.

"We have a real madman here…" The soldiers who grabbed Blaine seemed so very confused.

"I did everything!" Blaine shouted one more time looking straight at the soldier's face. "I initiated the rebels and burned down the stables… I did everything…"

Even if the leader soldier seemed absolutely uninterested before this confession from Blaine attracted his attention and he turned around leaving the tied serfs that he was torturing and walked over to Blaine. He looked the serf up and down taking in his posture and face.

"Name and surname." The soldier said and crossed his hands.

"Anderson, your worship." The guy spit out. "Blaine Anderson."

"Hang him." The soldier said simply and was about to walk away and come back to torturing the others, but Blaine stopped him.

"Have mercy, your worship, I know where they are hiding!" Blaine shouted and it was almost painful when he saw other serfs' eyes looking at him with anger and disgust. Now they were probably thinking that he's a traitor, but it had to be done for Blaine's plan to work. He just hoped that soldiers will be interested in what he pretended to know. And they really were.

"What?" The soldier leader asked.

"I know where the rebels are…" Blaine almost whispered. "They're hiding in the swamps…"

"Well, alright." The soldier said after studying Blaine for a few more minutes. "But if you blink an eye or even fart at the wrong time… You can't imagine how much pain a person can feel."

Blaine smiled. He was sure he knew. Not physically, but emotionally for sure. So then the soldiers took all the men that they were torturing in the shed and Blaine and told him to lead the way to the swamps. The serf didn't hurry. He wanted the soldier's horses to get tired and to lure them deep into the swamps so they won't have any other way out and the serfs knowing the swamps very well could just run away. Blaine hoped that seeing it will make the other serfs want to join him in the rebellion.

They walked for quite a while and Blaine heard behind him the serfs talking amongst themselves. They were shaming him, calling him names and trying to tell him to stop. He didn't blame them, because they couldn't know what he had planned. At first the guy ignored them, but it became harder and harder as one serf he didn't know walked over to him and tried to appeal to his feelings.

"They are fighting for our freedom… And who are you?" The man whispered. "The rebels are shedding blood for you."

"There are no rebels and there is no rebellion… Listen to me, okay?" Blaine whispered back.

"Oh fuck you…"

Blaine knew he won't believe him, but he had to try. They were going deep into the swamps now and he heard that soldiers behind them were getting impatient. He looked around and saw the most dangerous path over fallen trees and bushes. Stopping he caught his breath and pointed at it.

"Here's the path they rode down." Blaine said looking at the soldiers.

"Here? I don't see any path…" The soldier leader looked around as well.

"I know the swamps." Blaine shrugged as if it didn't really matter anymore. He wanted to make this as believable as possible. "I can lead you." Added then.

"Untie him." The soldier said after hesitating a bit and soon Blaine was free from the ropes that the soldiers have put on him before.

They walked a little more and Blaine was sure that the soldiers lost their alertness. He decided that it was time. He turned around and punched the soldier that was leading him in the face. The soldiers noticed it and the shit went down. They tried to catch Blaine but he was quicker and knew how to move in the swamps better. When the other serfs saw what he's doing they did the same and knowing the swamps really helped them as well. Soldiers tried to run, shout. They fell and stumbled down and the swamp was sucking them in while the serfs managed to get through it and to the other side pretty quick as well as hit the soldiers more than once. The soldier leader tried to shoot and run after them, but it was impossible. His horse's legs got stuck in the swamp and he almost couldn't move.

Blaine laughed as he fell down when they reached a stable ground. He did it! He couldn't believe himself that he just tricked the czar's soldiers and ran away from them. They were all wet and dirty, but it seemed that Blaine was the only one in such good mood. When he looked up at the four men that ran away with him, they were eyeing him with anger.

"Get ready to visit Abraham, you bastard…" One of them roared and the men ran over to Blaine and grabbed him.

He tried to hit them and free himself, but it was impossible. They grabbed him and started beating Blaine as hard as they could. If there was only one man, Blaine probably would have fighted, but now it was impossible for him to fight one against four. For a minute Blaine lost his consciousness when he got hit in the head. It felt like the men were trying to choke him and kill him. He tried to catch the air, but it was too hard. For a minute, Blaine thought he died and his plan to lead the rebels was doomed…

"Blaine!" He heard someone screaming and running at them. Blaine recognized the voice right away. It was Sam. The beating stopped and the serfs backed away when Sam punched one in the face. It was probably, because he took them by surprise and they didn't expect anyone to appear out of nowhere and defend Blaine. Sam sighted to himself when the men didn't fight him. And again why did he always have to save Blaine's ass?

The serf started coughing as if his lungs searched for air. Blaine breathed deeply and heard Sam's voice asking if he was okay, but he didn't have the power to answer just yet. His head felt dizzy and the guy sat down trying to breath. It surprised the serf how alive he felt, how good it felt to breath in a clear air of the forest. He could hear the birds singing so clear and the colors so bright… Freedom… That's what he felt.

"Sam…" Blaine whispered barely out loud.

"Yes?" His friend looked at him with worried eyes.

"I can breathe…" Blaine whispered again smiling like an idiot. "Freely… I can breathe freely… Breathe… I can breathe!" He screamed the last words as loud as he could. He couldn't see other serfs anymore; he could just feel the freedom. "That's it! That's the freedom!" Blaine jumped started running around as if he lost his mind. "When you can breathe and not be afraid that you'll choke! That's my freedom!"

Sam sat down and brushed his hair. He shook his head laughing silently to himself. Blaine was crazy. Or at least he acted so and Sam had no idea what plan he came up with tricking the soldiers like that, but he liked this Blaine. The Blaine who was doing something for others and being free. The Blaine who wasn't afraid to fight for the right things. Sam stole a glance at the other serfs. Their mouths were hanging open as they watched Blaine running around, breathing in the smell of the forest and shouting things about freedom. Sam chuckled. They will get used to it.

"Don't tell me that this is him…" One of the serfs whispered to Sam. "The rebel leader?"

"That's Blaine." Sam said simply. If Blaine wanted to start the rebellion, he knew as a friend he will stand with him.

"So he's the one who set this hell on fire?" The man asked with his eyes wide watching Blaine from afar.

"Yes, it was him." Sam nodded and laughed lightly. "Unfortunately for us…"

* * *

Blaine and his men only had time to get to know each other and start building the camp in the swamps for the rebels when the rumor about them reached the villages and crowds of young man started preparing to join the rebellion. All of them had that fire in their eyes that women and children were admiring. The first guests that they had in the newly built camp came the next day and Blaine tensed right away. He knew and wanted people to join him, but he wasn't the one to trust anyone right away. Even if they built the camp, nobody said the word 'rebellion' out loud yet. It was like a silent agreement of them. So when a big group of men climbed over at their place, the serfs didn't welcome them with open arms, but eyed suspiciously.

"Well, men, will you take us?" Started the elderly serf who walked at the front of the group. "We want to join the rebellion."

"There is no rebellion here." Blaine said simply chopping the firewood and shrugged.

"Wait wait, but then who burned down Hummel's estate, huh?" The serf asked furrowing his eyebrows.

"Nobody burned anything, got it?" Blaine dropped the axe and walked over to the serfs while his new friends watched him not saying anything.

"So why are the soldiers running around like they got their tales cut off?" The man asked again studying Blaine from afar. "They're not giving regular folks any peace…"

"We're the ones who shouldn't be giving them any peace!" A younger man who was standing right beside the older one added and fire flickered in his eyes. "Shake them up so they pay some notice!"

"So what are you going to shake them up with? Huh?" Blaine only laughed at the guy's words. "Well, brother, with what? Going shove your finger down their throat?" The other rebels laughed around a little. "If I were you, I'd rather go back to work the land." He added then.

"But we're sick of bowing to the masters." Some man from the group said. "What kind of freedom is this if they take everything to themselves?"

"There is no freedom." Blaine said his voice sad and serious. "No freedom, got it? Unless you feel and live like it." The men seemed confused, but they listened to Blaine and the feeling of trust and respect was only growing. Most of them expected a rebel leader to be big and strong and frightening, but the strength and control that was coming from the inside of Blaine and from his words was much more powerful. "I don't need anyone to shed blood for me, but…"

"For you?" The elder of the group walked close to Blaine and looked right in the eyes. "You're not worth a cent."

"So why did you drag yourselves over here?" Blaine asked.

"We're going to fight for freedom." The man reached out a hand to Blaine. He hesitated to take it at first.

"For our land." The younger guy said.

"For justice." Some other serf added finally.

Then Sam walked over at Blaine and looked him right in the eyes. It was as if an inner talk was happening between these two friends.

"For our country, Blaine." Sam finally said.

"Welcome." Blaine smiled taking the man's hand and shook it.

* * *

Kurt hoped that Blaine got his letter. He was sure that he saw in the serf boy's eyes that he knows where to find the rebels. But even if he didn't, Kurt had to at least try. So at the time that he wrote in his letter when Blaine was supposed to meet him, he took his horse and rode down by the river where they first met. He really hoped that Blaine will come. At least he had to give it a try, because not knowing if he is alive was killing Kurt inside. At the right time, he heard another horse somewhere in the background of the woods. Right away a smile came up on Kurt's face. He was coming.

Meanwhile Blaine got his letter from the boy just a few hours after they finished building the camp. He couldn't believe that Kurt was asking to meet him and he couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day. Blaine took care of everything in the camp and left Sam in charge saying that he's going to take a ride to look around. When he reached the river bank, he saw Kurt leaning by the tree.

"So you went and escaped from your golden cage after all?" Blaine asked walking over to the nobleman and smiling.

"I hate it." Kurt said simply and hugged Blaine when the guy walked over. He felt so light now when he saw that the serf was alive and healthy. "I probably look really stupid, don't I?"

"Not at all. You look beautiful." Blaine said and they both blushed. For them every word and every touch was like the first time again. None of them ever experienced anything like this before.

"I don't want to go back there." Kurt confessed and sighted.

"Neither can I." Blaine shrugged a little.

"But you're free…" Kurt said then silently and touched Blaine's face.

"I'm a serf, Kurt." The guy only shook his head.

"You're a rebel. And you can do whatever you want."

Then Blaine didn't resist anymore. He leaned in and kissed Kurt passionately as they lips danced together slowly.

"Well…" Kurt leaned back after a minute separating them and biting his lip modestly. "That's not exactly what I had in mind…"

"But I'm a rebel!" Blaine chuckled and they both laughed musically.

A bit of silence stood between them then as they gazed at each other's eyes. Kurt was so happy that Blaine was alive and Blaine just couldn't keep himself from getting lost in the blue of Kurt's eyes.

"And I'm… A little birdy from a golden cage." Kurt said finally. "I always get what I want, right?"

They lost time they spent together by the river that day. They talked about everything they never got to talk about. Blaine told Kurt what life was like being a serf, about his normal day, about his friends and dreams. Kurt told him about his life growing up in the estate, about how lonely he felt, about his dad and household serfs who worked for them. They didn't only talk. They kissed and touched and lied by the river looking at the stream and talking nonsense about the creatures living in the water. It seemed like they ignored the talk about the rebellion and soldiers on purpose. It was just so good to be there with each other leaving all troubles behind them.

Until the troubles came chasing them. It was pretty late in evening when they heard the dogs barking somewhere pretty close.

"They're looking for me, I have to go." Kurt said standing up and hurrying to unleash his horse. Blaine jumped to his feet right away too. "The czar sent the army to catch you. Sebastian rode out to meet them." Kurt added quickly then and leaned in to kiss Blaine before climbing on his horse and looked at the rebel for the last time. "You're in for a trouble…"

"We'll be fine, Kurt!" Blaine shouted after him. "Our land protects us!"


End file.
